Off to "Weida de Zhongguo"

Disappointed with the air cushion production in Germany, I continued my search for a manufacturing company abroad. The selection quickly narrowed, as the market leader in the production of inflatable products was and is China. Despite the negative image, my decision was firm: I would travel to the "Great Middle Kingdom" and personally find a company that could produce my inflatable travel pillow without compromising on quality. While the development of the pillow required the skills of an engineer and a doctor, now the flexibility of a world traveler—having to solve problems in any situation and wherever—came in handy.
So, here I was in China. What a country! How it had changed since I first saw Shanghai in 1963 as an engineering assistant on a long voyage aboard the "Ursula Rickmers"!

In 2013, with two suitcases full of spare clothes and a head brimming with good ideas, I immersed myself in the world of Chinese manufacturing companies after 50 years as a self-employed traveling salesman, aiming to bring the pillow back to production readiness under my own control and without any patent-relevant compromises. While my visits in 1963 had been brief, in 2013 I spent months there, gaining in-depth knowledge of Chinese culture. A multifaceted value system characterized by respect for family, harmony, collectivism, and helpfulness. Deep traditions are reflected in social norms and customs.

Always warmly welcomed, I found a manufacturing company in Shenzhen after several company visits and set up my first hotel office.

When I developed acute mastoiditis alongside a psoriasis flare-up, I experienced the organized Chinese healthcare system firsthand in an outpatient IV clinic.